There are a coupe reasons why I favour row 1 over other rows on most aircraft (aside perhaps the A330 which has those BusinessFirst cabins further back). First, I find the leg room to be quite good. Second, due to the ongoing COVID pandemic, being at the front of the plane in theory minimizes your risks flying since your only source of exposure would be anyone beside or behind you. Third, it takes the stress out of planing and deplaning, since you are in that front row. The absence of no undersea storage is a real luxury too since that means I am guaranteed overhead locker storage meaning I don't need to scramble to secure such valuable a commodity either.
All reasonable poins though I have quite long legs and actually reckon I can stretch them more in Row 2 or 3 than in row 1 (unless in C or D where I can trip up the FA's should I stick my legs out - which I would prefer to not do lol). I'm a window seat guy so it's a little harder in that respect. That's very personal view though of course.
As for covid yes, reasonable, but all you need is the person behind you eating meal, sneezing all over and... well doesn't much matter if you're in 1,2 or 3.. but I take the point absolutely. Of course during boarding, unless you board last, you still have most of the pax (unless rear boarding is happening) passing right by row 1 anyway so.....
but the real comment I have to maks is about guiaranteed overhead locker storage. I find this the most stressful part of row 1! Isn't it funny how we have such contrasting views on this!!
For mine, row 1 has a few multiple problems for bags. I prefer to have access to my bag in flight for odds and ends, but even if I am happy to take out what I need for a flight (not much on a short hop of course) and store overhead, you have the problem of the mix of 737 row 1 overheads:
- those a/c where row 1 overhead is fully dedicated to medical gear
- those a/c where row 1 overhead has the little "cubby hole" half bin available
- those a/c with a full bin (the newer sky interior seem to be these ones.
I mostly sit in A/C seats so that is the general experience there. I know the bin over 1 D/F is usually more normal, but sometimes it has gear in it too. Sometimes a FA bag!
So it then becomes, for me, a desire to become gate lice and try to board earlier to try and get my bag above row 1 IF there is space available.
If not, it's then going back to row 2 or 3 unless one is really late and those are all full of stuff (have not had this happen to me personally but HAVE seen pax have to retreat bags to Y on occasion to find a spot).
Of course I understand the notion of space should be "guaranteed" because you have NO option to store a bag at your feet, but I don't believe that gives any right to shove bags around elsewhere to ensure that, specially if you have 1.5 bins for 4 pax in row 1 in a full J cabin. And if most pax travel with more carry on than they probably should... well you get the picture.
So I generally avoid row 1 just because I know what I take with me will fit under the seat in front, I can access my stuff, and I'm not worrying about the overhead bin scramble.
so... we have differing views on this
plus I have a friend who gives me cough for being entitled if I sit in 1A
